The U.S. House of Representatives June 4 voted 205-164 to pass H.R. 3021,  “The 21st Century High-Performing Public School Facilities Act,” a bill that, if signed into law, would expand Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements to construction, modernization or repairs to public schools paid for with funds authorized within the legislation.   

ABC, in conjunction with Independent Electrical Contractors, the National Federation of Independent Business and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, sent a letter to members of Congress before the vote urging them to address the flaws in the existing Davis-Bacon Act before expanding the law.  The letter pointed out that Davis-Bacon wage determinations are susceptible to fraud and that a 2004 report released by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General found errors in nearly 100 percent of the wage surveys.  

“Expanding a wage determination process that has been proven to be flawed is unfair to the American taxpayer and American businesses, as well as parents and students who see scarce resources used inefficiently,” the letter stated.    

In addition, the letter noted that the use of prevailing wages has been shown to inflate public construction costs between 5 percent and 38 percent compared to private sector projects.   

“Davis-Bacon’s flaws will cost taxpayers more to provide students with less. Any Davis-Bacon costs from legislation your committee considers will be directly passed on to the American taxpayers in these school districts, coming at the direct expense of education dollars for children in classrooms,” the letter stated.    

President Bush said he will veto the bill due to the expansion of the Davis-Bacon Act prevailing wage requirements among other reasons.  

For more information, contact Brewster Bevis at ABC, bevis@abc.org.